Press Release


`                                                                    Royal Ahold
                                                                Public Relations

[Graphic omitted] Ahold



                                                              Date:  May 8, 2003
                                        For more information:   +31 75 659 57 20




Ahold announces results of U.S. Foodservice forensic accounting investigation

Zaandam, The Netherlands, May 8, 2003 - Ahold, the international food retailer
and foodservice operator, announced today that the forensic accounting work
being performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as part of Ahold's internal
investigation of its subsidiary U.S. Foodservice is now substantially complete.
The results were reported to Ahold's Audit Committee on May 7, 2003. Completion
of the U.S. Foodservice forensic accounting work is a required step to
recommence audit work at U.S. Foodservice to enable the completion of the Ahold
2002 audit by June 30, 2003.

For the period April 1, 2000 (the effective date of Ahold's acquisition of U.S.
Foodservice) to December 28, 2002 (the end of Ahold's 2002 fiscal year), PwC has
identified total overstatements of pre-tax earnings of approximately USD 880
million. Of this amount, approximately USD 110 million relates to fiscal year
2000, approximately USD 260 million relates to fiscal year 2001 and
approximately USD 510 million relates to fiscal year 2002.

In addition, PwC identified approximately USD 90 million of adjustments required
to be made to the opening balances for U.S. Foodservice at the date of its
acquisition. This consists of a reclassification of such amount from current
assets to goodwill primarily as a result of required write-offs of vendor
receivables. In connection with the earnings and opening balances adjustments
discussed above, corresponding adjustments to the balance sheet of U.S.
Foodservice at December 28, 2002 also will be required. These adjustments will
consist of approximately USD 700 million of write-offs of accrued vendor
receivables, an approximately USD 210 million increase in deferred contract
revenue liabilities and an approximately USD 80 million increase in trade
payables, as well as a USD 25 million increase in inventory. Any other
adjustments required with respect to U.S. Foodservice, including possible
impairment of goodwill or other long-lived assets, will be determined by the
company.

Although the forensic accounting work at U.S. Foodservice is substantially
complete, an internal legal investigation at U.S. Foodservice is ongoing.

The Supervisory Board of Ahold will be meeting shortly to determine which
actions should be taken with respect to U.S. Foodservice.

                                                  Albert Heijnweg 1, Zaandam
                                                  P.O. Box 3050, 1500 HB Zaandam
                                                  The Netherlands
                                                  Phone: +31 (0)75 659 5720
http://www.ahold.com                              Fax: +31 (0)75 659 8302




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In addition to the investigation at U.S. Foodservice, Ahold had commenced
internal investigations at various Ahold operating companies. Although these
investigations are ongoing, the forensic accounting work at Albert Heijn, Stop &
Shop, Santa Isabel in Chile, Ahold's operations in Poland and the Czech
Republic, and the ICA Ahold Scandinavian joint venture is substantially complete
and no evidence of financial fraud has been found at any of those operations.
The accounting adjustments that will be required as a result of this forensic
accounting work and that at Ahold's other operating companies have not yet been
determined.

Ahold further announced that Deloitte & Touche has resumed its audit work at ICA
Ahold and Santa Isabel. Ahold previously had announced the resumption of audit
work at Stop & Shop and Albert Heijn.

Ahold management is confident that the company will be able to achieve
completion of the remaining audits by June 30, 2003.

Ahold Corporate Communications: +31.75.659.5720














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Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Ahold intends that these statements
be covered by the safe harbors created under these laws. These forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements as to the expected impact
on earnings and balance sheet items of the U.S. Foodservice forensic accounting
investigation, the expected outcome of the internal investigations at various
other Ahold operating subsidiaries, expectations as to the resumption of audit
work at U.S. Foodservice and other subsidiaries and expectations as to
completion of Ahold's 2002 audit. These forward-looking statements are subject
to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the information set forth in these forward-looking
statements include the timing and results of the completion of the investigation
at U.S. Foodservice and at Ahold's other operating subsidiaries, the
determination of any other required adjustments and the timing of resumption by
Ahold's auditors of additional audit work and completion of Ahold`s 2002 audit,
and other factors and events discussed in Ahold's public filings. Many of these
factors and events are beyond Ahold's ability to control or predict. Given these
uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements, which only speak as of the date of this press
release. Ahold does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any
revisions to these forward-looking Statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities
laws.
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